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| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.1 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 1424 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by hargy on 4/23/2024 & rated 92 points: the last of my bottles and without question the most delicious - mature without any hard edges and with the fruit still shining through, this was excellent - would be good for a few years yet (330 views) | | | Tasted by Tgood on 4/10/2024: 55F SAOR - Dense translucent ruby black - ready clean and fresh florally pushed sweet strawberries and plum - oak gone - amazing freshness for 23 yr old - rich velvety and alcoholic- a real vinous treat. (910 views) | | | Tasted by lozatron on 3/17/2024: Served from half. On pouring, a weird kind of volatility - almost floral / soapy? This blew off quite quickly and it got back to where it should be - thoroughly lovely, paired well with smoked beef and pork ribs and the 11:27 from Kings Cross to York. (1379 views) | | | Tasted by casjf on 3/9/2024 & rated 92 points: Fabulous pairing with clay pot lamb shank with potatoes, rosemary, apricots, almonds and Ras al hanout spice (1365 views) | | | Tasted by kevin h on 3/3/2024 & rated 91 points: Great nose, very orange peel infused, with a bit of coffee and redcurrant. Nice mature flavours. Very good, complex and classic gravelly red fruit. (1439 views) | | | Tasted by Zweder on 2/28/2024 & rated 91 points: Drank from magnum. Beautiful bouquet with autumn forest impressions, coffee and mushrooms. Same on the palate. Some licorice, beautiful acidity. Still very much alive and was still a pleasure on day 2. (1582 views) | | | Tasted by honest bob on 2/13/2024 & rated 92 points: From 75cl, defective cork crumbled into bottle on opening, filtered off into a decanter, wine seemed unaffected. I sometimes find the smell of American oak hard to take, but when the wine is this good, even the volatile/burning/dill gherkin notes seem to fit perfectly. Entry fatter and darker-fruited than I remember from previous bottles; bright mid-palate acidity. Alas my last bottle of this great vintage of Ardanza, but if you have stocks, they will surely hold for as long as you can keep your hands off them. 92P (1732 views) | | | Tasted by lozatron on 2/2/2024: Small dinner with friends old and new (Heirloom Café): This was great - I was about to say super clean but maybe the slightest hint of VA? Real energy and zip. Tertiary character starting to show but the fruit is still there, and a real line to it. In spite of this being one of the best bottles of this I’ve had - I found myself drawn to the quieter pleasure of the Verité. Certainly neither of these reds was flattered by being tasted by the other. (1702 views) | | | Tasted by RajivAyyangar on 2/1/2024 & rated 92 points: Heirloom with Leon and Laura (Heirloom, San Francisco): vinegar and dill!!! Lovely tertiary notes. Fig. Tamari. Red dried cherry. Great acid. Very soft tannins. It’s classic old Rioja. Lovely. (1514 views) | | | Tasted by Nedder_travels_the_world on 1/25/2024 & rated 93 points: Still aging gracefully with the brilliant acidity. Fully moved into the teriary flavors that come with age. all leather and cigar box. not much fruit left at this point. (1447 views) | | | Tasted by CGWIND on 1/14/2024 & rated 90 points: Nice and lively with plenty of fruit and spice. (1507 views) | | | Tasted by CWRF on 1/8/2024 & rated 92 points: Superb developed Rioja with plenty of legs left. Blackcurrant, black plum, leather, beefy, spicy, slightly tangy acidity. Long ++ finish. Probably more enjoyable than the Rioja Alta 904 2004 we had alongside it, although I think that bottle was imperfect. Very popular during tasting. (@Tufa, Rioja tasting I 2024). (1411 views) | | | Tasted by bordeauxman777 on 1/5/2024 & rated 92 points: Lively and vibrant with some signs of maturing gracefully, this beauty will continue to deliver for years to come. Lovely (1523 views) | | | Tasted by Bodyfxr on 11/3/2023 & rated 89 points: Decanted for approximately 30 minutes before pouring then over the course of an hour and a half. Not as good as my last couple of bottles. The last one being over a year ago. Seemed a bit weak and thin on the palate. May be running out of gas. Will have to break into my last two for comparison. Hoping they are holding up better. (2277 views) | | | Tasted by chbeaumont on 10/12/2023 & rated 92 points: Retains (disconcerting) deep colour; sumptuous nose, vanillin oak remains; luxurious texture, flashy fruit, refreshing acidity, good concentration; plenty on the finish with a moderne feel. This has time in hand. Best with food. (2274 views) | | | Tasted by jdporter3 on 10/8/2023 & rated 90 points: Still solid. Definitely a step up from the 2001 Pecina that we also drank this evening. Bright yet with some lovely cherry notes, dill mostly out of it. Will not improve but will go more time. No reason to wait. (2251 views) | | | Tasted by AudunG on 9/1/2023 & rated 91 points: Fresh and relatively dark red color. Lovely developed aromas with dried red fruits, coffee, mushrooms, old cellar and liquorice root. Sweet-and-sour on the palate, with pronounced acidity and a long finish. This will last another 20 years! (2612 views) | | | Tasted by wardamnwine on 9/1/2023 & rated 90 points: Mature (2263 views) | | | Tasted by lozatron on 7/29/2023: Iberia Wimps July 2023 - Malhão de Estrela; 7/28/2023-7/30/2023 (La Trompette): My handwritten notes say "standard" but I have to say that while I really enjoyed this, I get the sense it's not one of the best bottles. It's all there but slightly disjointed - some good discussion at the table about how wine aged under American vs French Oak age - there is a sense in which the American oak never fully integrates, it's always there as a separate harmonic. A generously shared sip of the 904 from the same vintage was a clear step up. (2438 views) | | | Tasted by diggydan on 7/4/2023 & rated 91 points: Secondary nose and some secondary flavors in the palate but still incredibly ripe and bordering on jammy fruit. It's big and dilly, still. (2319 views) | | | Tasted by funderwood10 on 7/1/2023 & rated 92 points: Blue hill stone barns 3rd bottle. This wine is at a great place. Still has strong primary fruit flavors but aromatics are more tertiary. Well integrated tannins providing structure but only a bit of grip. Very nice (2374 views) | | | Tasted by lozatron on 6/26/2023: Post ride Sunday BBQ: From half. Interesting reading my notes how many of these halves have been opened, somewhat spontaneously, on hot evenings. Well - here we go, a warm night in London and it’s Ardanza time. Colour, garnet. Some zing on the nose, you get the american oak. On the palate - the oak is there of course, and that lovely acidity to balance it. Just great. (2304 views) | | | Tasted by lozatron on 6/18/2023: From half. Precision and a kind of anime zing to it. The nose makes promises and the palate keeps them. Long and exciting. And so much upside - these will get better for at least a decade. Somehow though I was not meeting this where it was. Perhaps fatigue from the previous night’s exertions, or just the humidity and heat. (2268 views) | | | Tasted by DoubleMagnum on 6/9/2023 & rated 92 points: Solid bottle. Dark fruit, the oak is well integrated, the tannins are soft. The tertiaries are enchanting. It's at a great spot. (1999 views) | | | Tasted by azogas on 5/31/2023 & rated 95 points: Nose: Rich aromas of dried cherries and plum, clove, toasted caramel and tobacco.
Palate: More darker fruit presents itself along with spices, violets, orange peel, leather and dried cedar. Very savoury with a balanced structure. In my opinion this is fully mature but nowhere close to even hinting that it might start to decline. The tannins are very fine and well integrated providing a very smooth and velvety mouthfeel. Very long finish. (2007 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Sarah Jane Evans MW
Decanter, La Rioja Alta Masterclass (2/29/2020)
(La Rioja Alta, Viña Ardanza Reserva Especial, Rioja, Spain, Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By James Suckling
JamesSuckling.com (6/30/2017)
(La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Ardanza Reserva Especial, Red, Spain) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Hemming, MW
JancisRobinson.com (5/25/2017)
(La Rioja Alta, Viña Ardanza Especial Reserva Rioja Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (11/24/2012)
(La Rioja Alta, Viña Ardanza Reserva Especial Rioja Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Hemming, MW
JancisRobinson.com (5/4/2012)
(La Rioja Alta, Viña Ardanza Reserva Especial Rioja Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (10/7/2011)
(La Rioja Alta, Viña Ardanza Reserva Especial Rioja Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Josh Raynolds
Vinous, September/October 2010, IWC Issue #152
(La Rioja Alta Vina Ardanza Reserva Especial Rioja) Subscribe to see review text. | By Chris Kissack
Winedoctor, February 2008
(La Rioja Alta Viña Ardanza Rioja Reserva Especial) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (6/28/2012)
(La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Ardanza Reserva Especial) Bricking dark red violet color; appealing, dried berry, fruitcake, baked black fruit, licorice nose; mature, silky textured, baked berry, baked plum, prune, licorice palate; medium-plus finish 92+ points 92 points | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (5/2/2011)
(La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Ardanza Reserva Especial) Mature, plum, dill, oak nose; mature, light-medium bodied, plum, black fruit palate; medium-plus finish 89 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Decanter and JamesSuckling.com and JancisRobinson.com and Vinous and Winedoctor and RJonWine.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| La Rioja Alta Producer website
U.S. Importer (Addt'l Info)2001 La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Ardanza Reserva Especial PRODUCER'S TECH SHEET
Just the other day we received a sample from one of our suppliers of a recently released 2001 Rioja. Now, we'll be honest with you, we really didn't know what to expect from this wine (outside of the known parameters of a classic vintage from Rioja combined with an outstanding producer). Suffice to say that we were incredibly pleased with the outcome...
La Rioja Alta was founded in 1890 in Haro, the capital of Rioja Alta, in close proximity to Lopez de Heredia and Marques de Riscal. The Bodega’s wines are all blends, there are no single vineyard wines, and all of the wines are produced from estate-grown grapes. In what La Rioja Alta considers the greatest years (there have been three to date; 2001, 1973, and 1964) the wine is called Reserva Especial.
On initial opening the nose exhibits classic Rioja notes of saddle leather and incense, underpinned by an earthy, forest floor-like aroma. On the palate, this wine is absolutely delicious - a heady combination of black and red cherries, incredibly refined and elegantly soft tannins and a strong backbone of acidity which will undoubtedly help to maintain the wine's wonderful structure and length of finish for many, many years to come.
- alcohol 13.5%
- total acidity: 6.1 g/l (tartaric); volatile Acidity: 0.80 g/l (acetic); pH: 3.58
- 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha; the Tempranillo grapes come from 30-year-old vines planted in Viña Ardanza's Fuenmayor and Cenicero vineyards; the Garnacha grapes come from old, goblet-pruned vines planted at an altitude of 600 m above sea level in Tudelilla (Rioja Baja), in plots adjacent to VA's Finca La Pedriza estate
- alcoholic fermentation took place for 14 days in stainless steel tanks; the malolactic fermentation process was over in 21 days; after being transferred, the wine went into casks in March 2002; it spent 36 months in American oak an average of 3 years old, and was racked by hand on 6 occasions; bottling took place in September 2005Tempranillo BlendTempranillo is the backbone of wines made ihvhhcn the best well-known Spanish regions Rioja and Ribera del Duero, but is also grown as far afield as Mexico and Australia.
As a flavor profile, red fruits like strawberries and cherries can predominate - but with a rustic edge. The Many wines made from Tempranillo will spend a few years in barrel and bottle before reaching the consumers . Many Tempranillo-based wines see a few years of oak - add that to a few years of bottle and the wine can give a subtle - and occasionaly not-so-subtle - leathery mouthfeel. The combination of the tart fruit and tannins make this wine very food friendly.Spain Vinos de España - Wines of Spain (Instituto Español de Comercio Exterior) | Wikipedia
Wine Map on weinlagen-info
Spain is the third largest wine producing nation in the world, occupying the majority of the Iberian Peninsula with vast diversity in climate, culture, and of course, wine. From inky, dark reds of the [Priorat] to dry, white Finos from Andalusia, Spain can easily boast of elaborating a wide variety of notable styles. Within Spain there are currently 62 demarcated wine regions, of which a handful have gained international recognition: [Rioja], Priorat and [Ribera del Duero]. Yet these regions are only a small sample of the high quality wines Spain produces. Regions such as Cava, Penedes, Somontano, Galicia, Rueda and Jerez are only a few of the numerous regions worthy of exploration throughout Spain. Spain can also lay claim to having the most land under vine in the world, growing up to, by some accounts, 600 indigenous varietals of which Tempranillo is their most well known. Other popular varietals include [Garnacha], Bobal and Monastrell for reds and for whites; the infamous [sic] Palomino Fino grape which is used in the production of sherry wine, Pedro Ximenez in Montilla Morilles, Albarino used in the creation of the bright, effervescent wines of Galicia, and Verdejo in Rueda. - Source: - Catavino.net
Spain is not in the forefront of winemaking for its dessert wines, other than for its sweet wines from Sherry country including the highly revered Olorosos (when sweetened). But apart from Sherry Spain has a range of styles of dessert wines, ranging from the those made from the Pedro Ximenez grape primarily in Jerez and Montilla-Moriles) to luscious, red dessert wines made in the Mediterranean from the Garnacha (Grenache) grape. Some good Moscatels are made in Mallorca, Alicante and Navarre. The northwest corner of Spain, Galicia, with its bitter Atlantic climate, is even making dessert wines, called “Tostadillos” in the village of Ribadivia (similar to France’s “Vin de Paille”). The Canary Islands have made interesting dessert wines for centuries (they are mentioned by Shakespeare, for example) and in recent years the quality of winemaking has been improved and the Canary Islands wines are being better marketed now. The winemaking styles for “Vinos Dulces” are also diverse, from “Late Harvest” (Vendimia Tardía) to “Fortified Wines” (Fermentación Parcial). Based on in-spain.info.La Rioja Consejo Regulador DOC Rioja - Control Board of the D.O.Ca. Rioja
Map on weinlagen-infoLa Rioja Alta Map on weinlagen-infoRioja Consejo Regulador DOC Rioja - Control Board of the D.O.Ca. Rioja
HISTORY
The wine region of La Rioja in Spain was first demarcated by the area's governing body, the Consejo Regulador, in 1926. The region extends for approximately 120 kilometres along both sides of the Ebro River and is, at its widest point, bounded by mountains on either side. In fact, the word 'Rioja' is a derivation of the two words 'Rio' (River) and 'Oja (the name of a tributary of the Ebro that runs right through La Rioja creating a series of microclimates and providing much needed water for the vines).
La Rioja has always been a vital part of Spain's history. Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Moors, and finally, medieval Crusaders have all played a part in the area's history. The Romans, however, made wine a part of their culture wherever they travelled, and La Rioja was no exception. Ancient sites of Roman wineries still exist in and around the area today.
After the Romans came the Moors, and winemaking all but ceased. It wasn't until after the famous 'El Cid' liberated Spain, and medieval Christianity brought trade via the Crusaders through the region, that it flourished again. The Benedictine monks of Cluny in Burgundy, known for their viticulture, helped to establish three monasteries in the area. The vines they planted were mostly white grapes. In the fourteenth century, English traders acquired a taste for a local Rioja wine, which was a blend of white and red wines called Blancos Pardillos. Over time, development of lighter reds came about satisfying eighteenth century English and French courts.
The real improvements to Rioja's viticulture began around 1780 when the need to prolong wine during transport brought about experimentation with different woods and preservatives. Studies were made of the techniques used by great chateaux in Bordeaux. With the outbreak of the Peninsular War, progress was halted until 1852, when the Bordelais came south to Rioja seeking vines because their vineyards had been blighted with oidium. French winemaking methods were eagerly taken up by great rivals the Marques de Murrieta and Marques de Riscal (who both claim to have been the first in Rioja to make wine in the Bordeaux fashion).
When phylloxera devastated Bordeaux in the 1870s and the French influence really took hold in Rioja, many of the region's finest bodegas started production on what we now consider as the great wines of Rioja. It’s important to remember that Bordeaux winemaking methods then were very different to those employed today in France, and involved long ageing in barrel, a factor that the Riojans took up enthusiastically. So enthusiastically in fact that to this day there are a number of Bodegas that still make their wine in a surprisingly similar fashion to that of the Bordelais in the later part of the 1800s and this also explains why oak ageing is such an important part of Riojan winemaking.
USE OF OAK
Pronounced vanilla flavours in the wines are a trademark of the region though some modern winemakers are experimenting with making wines less influenced by oak. Originally French oak was used but as the cost of the barrels increased many bodegas began to buy American oak planks and fashion them into barrels at Spanish cooperages in a style more closely resembling the French method. This included hand splitting the wood, rather than sawing, and allowing the planks time to dry and 'season' in the outdoors versus drying in the kiln. In recent times, more bodegas have begun using French oak and many will age wines in both American and French oak for blending purposes.
In the past, it was not uncommon for some bodegas to age their red wines for 15-20 years or even more before their release. One notable example of this is Marqués de Murrieta which released its 1942 vintage Gran Reserva in 1983 after 41 years of ageing. Today most bodegas have shifted their winemaking focus to wines that are ready to drink sooner with the top wines typically ageing for 4-8 years prior to release though some traditionalists still age longer. The typical bodega owns anywhere from 10,000 to 40,000 oak barrels.
The use of oak in white wine has declined significantly in recent times when before the norm was traditionally 2-5 years in oak. This created slightly oxidised wines with flavours of caramel, coffee, and roasted nuts that did not appeal to a large market of consumers. Today the focus of white winemakers has been to enhance the vibrancy and fruit flavours of the wine.
WINE CLASSIFICATION
Most Riojan Bodegas believe that the ageing of a wine should be the responsibility of the producer rather than that of the consumer, and this is why much Rioja is more mature than wines from other countries. Rioja red wines are classified into four categories. The first, simply labelled 'Rioja', or 'Sin Crianza' (meaning 'without ageing') is the youngest, spending less than a year in oak. A "Crianza" is wine aged for at least two years, at least one of which is in oak. 'Reserva' is aged for at least three years, of which at least one year is in oak. Finally, 'Gran Reserva' wines have been aged at least two years in oak and three years in bottle. Reserva and Gran Reserva wines are not necessarily produced each year. Also produced are wines in a semi-crianza style, those that have had a couple of months of oak influence but not enough to be called a full crianza. The designation of Crianza, Reserva or Gran Reserva might not always appear on the front label but may appear on a neck or back label in the form of a stamp designation known as Consejo.
SUB REGIONS
Rioja Alta
Located on the western edge of the region, and at higher elevations than the other areas, the Rioja Alta is known for more fruity and concentrated wines which can have very smooth texture and mouth feel.
Rioja Alavesa
Despite sharing a similar climate as the Alta region, the Rioja Alavesa produces wines with a fuller body and higher acidity. Vineyards in the area have a low vine density with large spacing between rows. This is due to the relatively poor conditions of the soil with the vines needing more distance from each other and less competition for the nutrients in the surrounding soil.
Rioja Baja
Unlike the more continental climate of the Alta and Alavesa, the Rioja Baja is strongly influenced by a Mediterranean climate which makes this area the warmest and driest of the Rioja. In the summer months, drought can be a significant viticultural hazard, though since the late 1990s irrigation has been permitted. Temperatures in the summer typically reach 95°F. Twenty percent of the vineyards actually fall within the Navarra appellation but the wine produced from the grapes is still allowed to claim the Rioja designation. The predominant grape here is the Garnacha which prefers the hot conditions, unlike the more aromatic Tempranillo. Consequently Baja wines are very deeply coloured and can be highly alcoholic with some wines at 18% alcohol by volume. The wines typically do not have much acidity or aroma and are generally used as blending components with wines from other parts of
the Rioja.
The Riojans are master blenders (as they have to be because there are relatively few single estates in the area, the norm being to blend from a wide variety of vineyards and wine areas). Consequently they are able to reduce vintage variation by careful blending and many of the best wines vary relatively little between vintages.
VITICULTURE & GRAPES
Rioja wines are normally a blend of various grape varieties, and can be either red (tinto), white (blanco) or rosé (rosado). Rioja has a total of 57,000 hectares cultivated, yielding 250 million litres of wine annually, of which 85% is red. The harvest time for most Rioja vineyards is September-October with the northern Rioja Alta having the latest harvest in late October. The soil here is clay-based with a high concentration of chalk and iron (which provides the redness in the soil that may be responsible for the region's name, Rioja, meaning red). There is also significant concentration of limestone, sandstone and alluvial silt.
Among the Tintos, the best-known and most widely-used variety is Tempranillo. Other grapes used include Garnacha Tinta, Graciano, and Mazuelo. A typical blend will consist of approximately 60% Tempranillo and up to 20% Garnacha, with much smaller proportions of Mazuelo and Graciano. Each grape adds a unique component to the wine with Tempranillo contributing the main flavours and ageing potential to the wine; Garnacha adding body and alcohol; Mazuelo adding seasoning flavours and Graciano adding additional aromas.
With Rioja Blanco, Viura is the prominent grape (also known as Macabeo) and is sometimes blended with some Malvesia and Garnacha Blanca. In the white wines the Viura contributes mild fruitness, acidity and some aroma to the blend with Garnacha Blanca adding body and Malvasia adding aroma. Rosados are mostly derived from Garnacha grapes. The 'international varieties' of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot have gained some attention and use through experimental plantings by some bodegas but their use has created wines distinctly different from the typical Rioja.
Some of the most sought after grapes come from the limestone/sandstone based 'old vine' vineyards in the Alavesa and Alta regions. These 40 year old plus vines are prized due to their low yields and more concentrated flavours. A unique DO regulation stipulates that the cost of the grapes used to make Rioja must exceed by at least 200% the national average of wine grapes used in all Spanish wines.
VINTAGE CHART
Rioja (Red) Year %
2004 Superb vintage, classic wines Drink or Hold 94
2003 Hot, dry year, long-ageing wines Drink or Hold 91
2002 Smallest vintage in 10 years. Variable quality.
Keep to top names Drink or Hold 87
2001 Excellent year for long ageing Reservas
and Gran Reservas Drink or Hold 94
2000 A generally good vintage with fine Reservas Drink or Hold 89
1999 Smaller vintage of good quality Drink or Hold 88
1998 Good vintage Drink or Hold 97
1997 Unexciting so far, but quaffable Drink or Hold 84
1996 Good year, plenty of ageing potential Drink or Hold 89
1995 Very good vintage, Reservas now showing excellent fruit Drink or Hold 92
1994 Outstanding, some great long-ageing wines Drink or Hold 94
1993 Lesser wines, apart from best-known names Drink 77
1992 Rather light vintage Drink 80
1991 Still improving, average quality Drink or Hold 85
1990 Fairly ordinary but quaffable Drink 84
1989 Good, firm structure Drink 88
Rioja Reserva & Gran Reserva – Vintages of the Eighties Year %
1989 Goodish vintage, well balanced Drink 88
1988 Fairly good vintage, well balanced wines Drink 88
1987 Very attractive vintage, now at peak Drink 90
1986 Average year, now drinking well Drink 87
1985 Average year, now drinking well Drink 87
1984 Disappointing, with problem weather Avoid 80
1983 Don't keep it any longer Drink 86
1982 Now past its best Drink 83
1981 Superb wines, finest will keep longer Drink 90
1980 Average vintage, don't keep any longer Drink 86
More vintage charts
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